Guardian Minister Prakash Abitkar Distributes Fire Proximity Suits

Kolhapur : To enhance the efficiency of firefighters in tackling fire-related emergencies, the State Government’s Disaster Management Department has provided fire proximity suits to municipal fire departments. Guardian Minister Prakash Abitkar distributed these suits to 10 municipalities at a ceremony held in the District Collector’s office.

The event was attended by District Collector Amol Yedge, Kolhapur Municipal Commissioner K. Manjulakshmi, Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit, Resident Deputy Collector Sanjay Teli, Disaster Management Officer Nagendra Mudagekar, and other officials.

Designed for rescuing people trapped in fires, these fire proximity suits enable firefighters to operate effectively even in extreme temperatures up to 60°C. Each of the 10 municipalities received six suits, totaling 60 suits. The protective gear includes a helmet, gloves, a fire-resistant shirt and pants, and gumboots. The suits were distributed to the fire departments of Jaysingpur, Kurundwad, Kagal, Panhala, Murgud, Malkapur, Gadhinglaj, Vadgaon, Hupari, and Shirol municipalities.

No Unnecessary Harassment of Transporters

During a review meeting at the District Collector’s office, Guardian Minister Prakash Abitkar directed the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to avoid unnecessary harassment of transporters. He emphasized that transporters play a crucial role in maintaining social and economic stability by fulfilling various societal needs.

The meeting was attended by MLA Chandradeep Narke, Municipal Commissioner K. Manjulakshmi, Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit, RTO officer Sanjeev Bhor, Assistant RTO Neeta Suryavanshi-Patil, and representatives from the Lorry Association, including President Subhash Jadhav and Malhari Patil.

MLA Chandradeep Narke suggested that the RTO reconsider the excessive fines imposed for vehicle overloading and work towards resolving issues related to vehicles older than 15 years, as per State Government directives. Other demands from the Lorry Association included:

• Closing the private RTO check post at Kagal,
• Immediate establishment of a truck terminal on the 13.5-acre land reserved near Tawade Hotel,
• Cancellation of the e-challan system,
• Suspension or extension of the deadline for HSRP number plate installation,
• Implementation of Gujarat’s pricing model for number plates, and
• Revocation of highway police authority for document inspections.

In response, Minister Abitkar assured that a high-level meeting involving highway police and the transport department would soon be held at the ministry level to address these concerns.